This invention relates to apparatus for swimming pools, spas and the like, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for producing an esthetically pleasing water stream or flow in such a pool or spa.
In order to add an esthetically pleasing flow of water to a pool or spa it has been necessary to construct a waterfall at the edge of the pool. The water is typically drawn out of the pool and passed over a weir at the edge of the pool, or water is drawn out of the pool and fills a vessel where a series of baffles and ribs smoothes and directs the water before it exits the unit.
The current prior art methods, while esthetically pleasing, have drawbacks. First, water which is drawn out of a pool and spills over a weir at the edge of a pool does not have enough forward movement to esthetically move the water away from the side of the pool. Secondly, the construction of this type of waterfall is very expensive since it requires extra gunite-forming and tile finishing.
The container method is also esthetically pleasing but relies on a rising water principle to achieve a smooth and even flow of water. It is expensive to make and it is expensive to install because it does not lend itself to installation at the time when a pool or spa is being gunite-formed.
It is the object of this invention to provide not only a low cost unit for producing a smooth sheet of water at the edge of a pool, but also a unit that can be easily embedded into the gunite at the time of gunite-forming.